Inspiration. Creativity. Magic.

A Journey to the Past: Reviewing “Anastasia” the New Musical

This summer has been an absolute whirlwind! More so than usual considering Andy and I’s engagement, wedding planning and our full-fledged, all-consuming focus on getting our house ready for sale. In this whirlwind, I’ve been delayed in sharing with you my thoughts on my first Broadway experience and one of the famed street’s newest shows: “Anastasia.”

Having signed up to chaperone a high school trip down to the city, I was especially excited to learn that we would be seeing this show. Aside from seeing “Wicked” off-Broadway this March, I had never before seen a show on-Broadway and was ecstatic to learn that my first show would be one featuring its original cast.

Needless to say, I had an incredible time and was thoroughly impressed by the storyline, the actors’ performance and the special effects. Truly, it was magical. My overall positive review being said, here were my favorite pieces of the show:

SPECIAL EFFECTS: Typically, my textile artist eye is drawn immediately to costuming. And while this show does in fact boast magnificent costumes (that blue dress!), it’s this show’s special effects that really draw you in. I won’t spoil the show for those who haven’t seen it, but for those who have, you know I’m talking about that train scene! (And of course all of the beautiful winter scenery).

STORY: This is a beautiful story of love and the journey to finding one’s identity with inspiration drawn from history. If you love historical fiction, then you will love this show. That being said, the musical’s plot does inevitably vary from the original 1997 cartoon produced by Fox Animation Studios. While this is a point of dissatisfaction among some die-hards, I personally thought the adaptation worked quite well and allowed the show to take on a more mature tone.

MUSIC: It goes without saying that a Broadway musical should have spectacular music. “Anastasia” held true to this reputation and delivered an array of numbers that are as beautiful as they are catchy. Let’s just say I had “Once Upon a December” stuck in my head for quite some time. I loved that the producers included songs from the film while also adding quite a few original numbers. Again, more music for a further developed, more mature story.

THE BLUE DRESS: You can’t talk about “Anastasia” without talking about that dress. However, I’ll let this costume speak for itself:

Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor. Seriously, so beautiful. I’m convinced there wasn’t a single girl in the audience who didn’t wish they owned their own version of this gown.

Case and point – next time you find yourself in the big apple and are looking for something to do, I would certainly recommend this show. Whether you’ve seen the original movie or not, this story will draw you in and make you a fan for life.